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- Disney and YouTube TV are waging a PR war to sway viewers as their contract dispute drags on.Disney has painted itself as the underdog, but some surveys show it's getting more blame.PR pros weighed in on Disney and YouTube's messaging strategies.
Who's winning the PR war in the Disney-YouTube TV standoff? Data suggests YouTube — so far.
Disney's channels have been unavailable on YouTube TV since October 30 due to a contract dispute, preventing YouTube TV subscribers from watching the "Monday Night Football," as well as ABC News and popular shows like "Abbott Elementary."
Several data sources indicate that YouTube could have the upper hand in public perception.
A survey by Drive Research of 1,100 respondents showed that 58% consider both parties equally at fault, but a far bigger share (37%) blamed Disney than YouTube TV (5%).
"I do think they've managed to present themselves as protectors for subscribers and Disney as corporate overlords," Richard Swain, partner at branding and creative agency Further, said of YouTube.
A smaller survey by Cord Cutters News showed that 82% of respondents mainly blamed Disney, seeing it as using blackouts to extract more money from distributors, while viewing YouTube as trying to keep prices stable.
According to Muck Rack, from October 5 to November 5, Disney got over 18,000 negative mentions on X, and YouTube TV got about 14,000. However, by November 6, negative sentiment had shifted more to YouTube TV.
Google searches for "cancel YouTube TV" spiked immediately after the blackout and reached their highest level in at least five years, according to data from Google Trends. Interest in competing services soared.
Why Disney's approach may not have landed
On the surface, it might seem surprising that YouTube TV — owned by tech giant Google — is winning the PR battle.
Disney's messaging has focused on the value of its content that subscribers are missing out on, like ESPN's sports and ABC's election coverage. It also enlisted some of its on-air talent, including Stephen A. Smith and Scott Van Pelt, to post about the blackout, and accused YouTube TV of trying to "eliminate competition."
Using on-air talent might not have landed because posting about Disney wasn't on-brand for them, said Mike Paul, president of crisis management firm Reputation Doctor. Disney might have done better to look at the situation through the customer's point of view and emphasize what it's doing to bring the standoff to a close, he said.
Mike Fahey, CEO of crisis PR firm Fahey Communications, said he wasn't surprised at the backlash Disney got after enlisting a controversial figure like Stephen A. Smith as a spokesperson.
"In this specific case, I think Disney is missing the mark with using Stephen A. as the face of ESPN," he said. "The big draw of ESPN to the masses is the sports themselves. This isn't about that talent. It's about the programming."
Swain said polling has shown some people think the quality of Disney's entertainment output has declined, so messages about content might have fallen flat. The company has also faced recent blowback over price increases at its theme parks and the temporary suspension of Jimmy Kimmel.
A 2025 Axios Harris poll showed Alphabet/Google had a "very good" reputation while Disney's was only "fair."
"I just question how many more hits they can take," Swain said of Disney.
Streaming analyst Dan Rayburn said Disney's indignation about its older content being deleted, as required by its contract, rang disingenuous.
YouTube TV focused on price
YouTube, for its part, has argued that Disney's proposed terms would force it to raise costs for YouTube TV's subscribers and benefit Disney-controlled rival services like Fubo and Hulu + Live TV.
YouTube also offered subscribers a $20 credit if the blackout continued for an extended period.
YouTube hasn't exactly remained unscathed. Many people online have expressed frustration with both companies amid rising streaming prices. YouTube TV hiked prices last December to $83 a month from $73.
YouTube TV's $20 offer left a lot of people underwhelmed and with questions, Rayburn said. (YouTube said subscribers would be notified through email when it's available.)
Still, YouTube has cultivated a creator-friendly, open brand with consumers. It's especially popular among young people and has become increasingly recognized as a destination for sports content. And it's speaking directly to its customers' wallets at a time of economic uncertainty.
"YouTube knows the cord-cutter mentality," Reputation Doctor's Paul said.
